Building Your Online Course

One of my favorite memes that became popular among college educators during the pandemic was one that stated: One does not simply "move a course online". This statement was set on a backdrop from The Lord of the Rings (one of my favorite movies) where the character Boromir, was addressing the request that "someone" take the ring into Mordor in order to destroy it. For those that are unfamiliar with this movie, "the ring" which was a source of power to an evil being (Sauron), had to be destroyed in order to successfully defeat Sauron. In order to destroy the ring, it had to be taken to a very specific location (Mordor) and thrown into a pit of fire. The catch was that it was near impossible to get into Mordor, let alone to the fiery pit where the ring could be destroyed. This is where the reference was taken from for this meme. Putting a course online, although it may sound simple to some, is not an easy task. In this week's blog post, I'll be discussing some of the key hings that go into building an online course and why this meme is such an accurate description of this task.

When it comes to building an online course, there are 4 key aspects you MUST keep in mind in order to be successful. I plan on doing a VERY detailed overview of these 4 components on December 15th and December 17th in my webinar entitled, 4 Secrets to Teaching an Online Course Successfully. However, even though I won't be spilling the beans (or the tea) about these secrets today, there are a few important points I would like to make about what goes in to building your online course.

1. One of the things you need to know is how to design your course effectively. Think about your course syllabus. It's not just a document with a bunch of words, haphazardly thrown onto a sheet of paper. It is designed using a particular format with the ultimate goal of letting students know what to expect in your course. In the same way, your course must be designed in a way such that the ultimate goal of student success is accomplished.

2. Another thing you should consider is how to manage your online teaching workload. In my discussions with educators teaching online for the first time during the pandemic (and even those who were experienced in the online arena), they feel like they're tied to their computers and are working 12 hour days, even on weekends. This can happen very easily if you don't have strategic plans and schedules in place.

3. Lastly, you should know how to develop an online community among your students. Your online course and Learning Management System (LMS) should not just be a repository for completing and submitting assignments, but a safe, comfortable and inviting place where students feel free to be themselves.

With these 3 tips in mind, can you understand why this meme is SO ACCURATE? It's not just about putting your course materials online, it's about creating a comprehensive experience for your students. Is this a lot of work?... ABSOLUTELY! Is it worth the effort?... ABSOLUTELY! But only if you do it the right way.

I hope you have the opportunity to join me on my upcoming webinar where I will be sharing the 4 Secrets to Teaching an Online Course Successfully. These tips will help you to address these key areas described above and also give you the tools you will need to begin to address them in your own online course. But don't worry if you can't attend! All registrants will receive access to the webinar replay, so be sure to REGISTER TODAY!